Motorcycle including an auxiliary lighting device for parking operations

ABSTRACT

A motorcycle ( 1 ) including:—a motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ) extending along a longitudinal axis (L-L) and having a front part ( 2 ), a tail part ( 4 ) and a central part ( 3 ) included between the front part ( 2 ) and the tail part ( 4 );—at least two wheels ( 5,6 ) constrained to the motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ), including a front wheel ( 5 ) and a rear wheel ( 6 );—a traction engine ( 7 ) constrained to the motorcycle body ( 2, 3, 4 ) and operatively connected to at least one of the wheels ( 5, 6 );—at least one headlight ( 12 ) fixed to the front part ( 2 ) and at least one rear light ( 14 ) fixed to the tail part ( 4 );—at least one kickstand ( 100 ) adapted to be moved in order to selectively assume a resting operating position and a working operating position, wherein, in the working operating position, the kickstand has at least one end portion leaning against a ground portion being placed laterally and/or under the motorcycle body;—one first auxiliary lighting device ( 50 ) adapted to light the kickstand ( 10 ).

The present description relates to the technical field of motorcyclesand in particular it relates to a motorcycle including an auxiliarylighting device for parking operations.

Lighting systems on board motorcycles allowing to safely use themotorcycles thereof have been used for a long time. Motorcycles are infact provided with a headlight, a rear light, direction indicators, etc.The headlight allows to light a ground area arranged at the front of themotorcycle and to make the motorcycle visible to people placed in frontof the motorcycle. The rear light allows to make the motorcycle visibleto people placed behind it and to signal that the brakes of themotorcycle are activated.

However, the prior art lighting systems do not allow the motorcycledriver to carry out the parking operations safely enough underenvironmental low lighting conditions, as the driver may injury himselfwhen activating the kickstand, for example he may come in contact withhot pieces of the motorcycle or he may lose his balance.

One general object of the present description is to provide a motorcyclehaving an auxiliary lighting device for parking operations allowing toovercome or reduce, at least partially, the drawbacks of the prior artmotorcycles.

This and other objects are obtained through a motorcycle as defined inclaim 1 in its more general form, and in the claims depending from it insome of its peculiar embodiments.

The invention shall be better understood from the following detaileddescription of embodiments, for exemplary purposes and not limited tothe enclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one non-limiting embodiment of amotorcycle;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the motorcycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the motorcycle of FIG. 1, wherein themotorcycle is in one first operative configuration;

FIG. 4 shows a further side view of the motorcycle of FIG. 1, whereinthe motorcycle is in one second operative configuration;

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of one exemplary embodiment ofone electronic control unit of the motorcycle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 shows a side view of one possible embodiment of a motorcyclealternative to the one of FIG. 1.

In the enclosed figures, same or similar elements will be indicated bythe same reference numbers.

In the enclosed FIGS. 1 to 4 one embodiment of a motorcycle 1 is shown,that, in the specific represented example, is embodied, withoutlimitation, by a two-wheel motorcycle and in particular by a two-wheelscooter, having a front wheel 5 and a rear wheel 6.

In the hereinafter description, reference will be made to a genericmotorcycle 1, thereby meaning that the following description isapplicable in general to any type of motorcycle 1 of category Lincluding:

-   -   a motorcycle body 2,3,4;    -   at least two wheels 5, 6 constrained to the motorcycle body        2,3,4;    -   a traction engine 7, e.g. thermal or electric or hybrid,        constrained to the motorcycle body 2,3,4 and operatively        connected to at least one of the two wheels 5,6.

For example, the aforesaid two-wheel motorcycle 1, is a two-wheelmotorcycle, as for example a scooter or a motorbyke, or a three-wheelmotorcycle whereof at least two front wheels are steering and tilting,or a quadricycle provided with two pairs of tilting wheels and at leasttwo steering wheels.

The motorcycle body 2,3,4 extends along a longitudinal axis L-L that isparallel to the driving axis of the motorcycle 1 and has a front part 2,a tail part 4 and a central part 3 included between the front part 2 andthe tail part 4. The central part 3 represents the part of themotorcycle body 1 on which the body of the rider is arranged mountingthe motorcycle 1 and/or riding the motorcycle 1 in a normal condition ofuse and drive of the motorcycle 1. In the example, the central partincludes a platform 35, a support placed under the saddle 36, and afront portion 37 of the saddle. In the example, the front part 2includes a front shield 21, a steering handlebar 22, the front wheel 5,a front mudguard 23. In the example, the rear part 4, includes a frontportion 47 of the saddle, one storage container 45, one or two backsuspensions 41, the back wheel 6, the traction engine 7.

The motorcycle 1 includes at least one front headlight 12 fixed to thefront part 2 and at least one back light 14 fixed to the tail part 4 anddirected to an opposite direction with respect to the headlight 12. Whenthe steering handlebar 22 is not rotated, that is, when both the frontwheel 5 and the back wheel 6 are aligned along the longitudinal axisL-L, the headlight 12 is such to emit an optical beam mainly centredalong the longitudinal axis L-L and directed towards a ground portionarranged at the front with respect to the motorcycle 1. The rear light14 is such that it emits an optical non directional radiation, usuallyconcentrated at the same height of the same rear light thereof in orderto avoid to dazzle the vehicles that follow the motorcycle 1.

According to one advantageous and non-limiting embodiment, themotorcycle 1 includes at least one kickstand 10 adapted to be moved inorder to selectively assume a resting operating position and a workingoperating position, wherein, in the working operating position, thekickstand 10 has at least one end portion leaning against a groundportion being placed laterally and/or under the motorcycle body 1. Theaforesaid kickstand 10 is for example rotatably hinged to a supportingframe of the motorcycle 1 or, as in the example indicated in FIGS. 1-4,it is hinged to the crankcase of the traction motor 7.

The motorcycle 1 also includes a first auxiliary lighting device 50adapted to light the kickstand 10 or render it luminous, during theparking operations. It must be noted that in the FIGS. 1 and 4 thekickstand 10 is shown in the operative working position while in FIG. 3it is shown in the resting operative position. The kickstand 10 is forexample, indifferently, a side kickstand having one only arm leaningagainst the ground or a central kickstand with two arms leaning on theground.

According to one preferred embodiment, the first auxiliary lightingdevice 50 is such as to light the kickstand 10 or render it luminouswhen the kickstand 10 is in the resting position. For example, it can beobserved from the example of FIG. 4 that the first auxiliary lightingdevice 50 is such as to light a motorcycle 1 portion M1 and inparticular one portion of the tail part 4 of the motorcycle 1 and moreprecisely one portion M1 of the traction motor 7. Though it isconvenient that the first auxiliary lighting device 50 lights thekickstand 10 or renders it luminous when it is in the resting position,it is however possible to provide that the first auxiliary lightingdevice 50 is such as to light the kickstand 10 or render it luminouswhen it is in the working position.

Referring to FIG. 5, according to one advantageous embodiment, themotorcycle 1 includes an electronic control unit 100 operativelyconnected to the first auxiliary lighting device 50 in order to activateand deactivate it.

For example, the electronic control unit 100, as well as the firstauxiliary lighting device 50, is fed by one battery 101 of themotorcycle 1.

Always referring to FIG. 5, according to a non-limiting embodiment, theelectronic control unit 100 is the ECU (Engine Control Unit) of themotorcycle 1 and it is such as to control the traction motor 7 too ofthe motorcycle 1.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the first auxiliary lightingdevice 50 is operatively connected to the electronic control unit 100 inorder to be activated and deactivated by it, and the electronic controlunit 100 is such to activate the first auxiliary lighting device 50 whenthe speed of the motorcycle 1 is equal to zero and/or when the tractionengine 7 changes from an on-state to an off-state and/or when the drivergetting off from the motorcycle 1 is detected.

According to one non-limiting embodiment, the first auxiliary lightingdevice 50 is integrated in the kickstand 10. For example, the kickstand10 includes one seat that houses one optical source of the firstauxiliary lighting device 50. One or more electric conductors pass inthe kickstand 10 to electrically connect the optical source to theelectronic control unit 100 of the motorcycle 1.

According to one embodiment alternative to the above described one, thefirst auxiliary lighting device is external to the kickstand, it isfastened to the body 2,3,4 of the motorcycle 1 and it is orientedtowards the kickstand 10 when the kickstand 10 is in the restingposition. This may be obtained using an optical source, fastened to thebody 2,3,4 and preferably, to the central part 4. In particular, whatabove described shall be obtained in case the source is a direct opticalsource, as for example a LED, and/or using an optical system for exampleincluding at least one lens and or at least one spotlight able tospatially shape the optical radiation emitted by a non-direct opticalsource, as for example an incandescent light or a halogen light.Preferably, the aforesaid optical source cannot be seen looking at themotorcycle from an observation point behind the motorcycle along thelongitudinal axis L-L when the motorcycle is running.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the motorcycle 1 also includesa twilight sensor 105 operatively connected to the electronic controlunit 100. The electronic control unit 100 is programmed to keep thefirst auxiliary lighting device 50 off, regardless of the speed of themotorcycle 1 and/or regardless of the switching on or off of thetraction motor 7, when detecting a certain degree of ambient lighting.Thereby, it is possible to avoid to activate the first auxiliarylighting device 50 when not required by circumstances.

According to one advantageous and non-limiting embodiment, themotorcycle 1 also includes a second auxiliary lighting device 30fastened to the motorcycle body 2,3,4 and adapted to be electricallycontrolled to be activated and deactivated. The second auxiliarylighting device 30 is arranged and oriented so that, when activated, itis such as to light, preferably selectively, a ground portion G1, beingon the side and/or under the central part 3 of the motorcycle body2,3,4. For the purposes of the present invention, selectively meansmainly or exclusively. Preferably, the second auxiliary lighting device30 is arranged on the motorcycle body 1 and fixed in the middle, orsubstantially in the middle, between the front wheel 5 and the backwheel 6.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the second auxiliary lightingdevice 30 is arranged in the central part 3 of the body of themotorcycle 1 and it is oriented towards the ground. In one exampleconsistent with the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 to 4, themotorcycle 1 is a scooter and the central part 3 of the motorcycle body2,3,4 includes a platform 35 and the second auxiliary lighting device 30is placed beneath the platform 35, in particular below a step on wall ofthe platform 35.

Preferably, the second auxiliary lighting device 30 has a main emissionoptical axis D1 being oriented along a direction transversal to thelongitudinal axis L-L and facing the ground. This can be obtained usinga direct optical source, as for example a LED, and/or using an opticalsystem for example including at least one lens and/or at least onespotlight able to spatially shape the optical radiation emitted by anon-direct optical source, as for example an incandescent light or ahalogen light.

According to one advantageous and non-limiting embodiment, the secondauxiliary lighting device 30 includes one pair of auxiliary lightingdevices placed at opposite sides between them with respect to thelongitudinal axis L-L.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the electronic control unit100 is operatively connected to the second auxiliary lighting device 30in order to activate and deactivate it. The electronic control unit 100is such to automatically activate the second auxiliary lighting device30 when the speed of the motorcycle 1 is lower than a threshold speed.Conveniently, the threshold speed has an absolute value higher thanzero. For example, the threshold speed is equal to 10 km/h or equal to 5km/h. According to one embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the electroniccontrol unit 100 is such to receive, for example from a speed sensor 102provided on board the motorcycle 1 or connected operatively thereof, anelectric signal bearing information related to the motorcycle 1 speed.The above described embodiment is particularly advantageous wherein thesecond auxiliary lighting device 30 is automatically activated when itdetects that the motorcycle speed drops from any positive value below acertain threshold value, so that it activates automatically the secondauxiliary lighting device 30 when it is likely that the driver isperforming a stopping and/or a parking operation of the motorcycle 1.

Preferably, also the second auxiliary lighting device 30 is fed by thebattery 101 of the motorcycle 1.

According to one further embodiment, the motorcycle 1 includes a radiointerface 103 operatively connected to the electronic control unit 100.The electronic control unit 100 is programmed to activate the first 50and/or the second 30 auxiliary lighting device when the speed of themotorcycle 1 is equal to zero and in particular when the motorcycle isin the parking state and when receiving a radio control signal from theradio interface 103. Thereby, it will be advantageously possible to usethe first and/or the second auxiliary lighting device also to enable theauthorized user of the motorcycle 1 to detect the parking position ofthe motorcycle 1 when it is dark and from a certain distance. Theaforesaid radio interface 103 is for example an interface of a wirelessportable device authorizing the use of the motorcycle 1, as for examplean alarm controller and/or a keyfob.

On the basis of what above described it is thus possible to understandthat the motorcycle 1 of the above described type enables to reach theaforementioned objects referring to the prior art state. In fact, due tothe provision of the first lighting device 50 in the parking step alsounder low environmental lighting the motorcycle 1 driver can easilydetect the kickstand 10, in order to drive it taking it from the restingposition to the working position.

It is possible to provide that, after being activated, the firstauxiliary lighting device 50 is automatically deactivated if an eventoccurs or if it is time-controlled, for example under the control of theelectronic control unit 100.

According to one embodiment, the motorcycle 1 includes a detectingdevice 106 adapted to supply a signal bearing information related to thepresence and/or absence of the driver on the motorcycle 1 (hereinaftercalled “driver presence sensor 106”) operatively connected to theelectronic control unit 100. It is possible to provide that, accordingto the signal provided by the driver presence sensor 106, the electroniccontrol unit 100 is configured and programmed to establish theactivation of the first auxiliary lighting device 50, for example inorder to activate the first auxiliary lighting device 50 when theelectronic control unit 100 detects that the driver has got off themotorcycle 1. The driver presence sensor 106 includes for example anelectric switch for example placed under the saddle. One non-limitingexample of driver presence sensor 106 is described in Patent EP2130713B1, by the same Applicant.

Furthermore, if the second auxiliary lighting device 30 is also providedin the motorcycle 1, it is possible to provide that, according to thesignal provided by the driver presence sensor 106, the electroniccontrol unit 100 is configured and programmed to deactivate the secondauxiliary lighting device 30, when it detects that the driver has gotoff the motorcycle 1 or after a time lapse from such detection, forexample equal to, or almost equal to, 60 seconds.

One alternative embodiment of the motorcycle of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG.6. The motorcycle of FIG. 6 is a motorcycle and includes the firstauxiliary lighting device 50 which is fixed to a side of the centralpart of the motorcycle 1. As illustrated in FIG. 6, optionally, in thismotorcycle 1 too it is possible to provide the second auxiliary lightingdevice 30, or two second lighting devices 30 placed on opposite sideswith respect to the longitudinal axis (L-L). In the example of FIG. 6the second auxiliary device 30 is fixed to the platform 35, inparticular it is fixed below a step on wall of the platform 35.

Subject to the principle of the invention, the embodiments and theimplementation details shall be widely varied with respect to what hasbeen described and illustrated for exemplary purposes, without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the enclosed claims.

1. A motorcycle comprising: a motorcycle body extending along alongitudinal axis and having a front part, a tail part and a centralpart comprised between the front part and the tail part; at least twowheels constrained to the motorcycle body, including a front wheel and arear wheel; a traction engine constrained to the motorcycle body andoperatively connected to at least one of the wheels; at least oneheadlight fixed to the front part and at least one rear light fixed tothe tail part; at least one kickstand adapted to be moved in order toselectively assume a resting operating position and a working operatingposition, wherein, in the working operating position, the kickstand hasat least one end portion leaning against a ground portion being placedlaterally and/or under the motorcycle body; and further including afirst auxiliary lighting device adapted to light the kickstand or renderit luminous.
 2. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the firstauxiliary lighting device is oriented in order to light the kickstandwhen the kickstand is in the resting position.
 3. The motorcycleaccording to claim 1, wherein the first auxiliary lighting device isintegrated in the kickstand.
 4. The motorcycle according to claim 1,wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is external to thekickstand, it is fastened to the body of the motorcycle and it isoriented towards the kickstand when the kickstand is in the restingposition.
 5. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the motorcycleincludes an electronic control unit operatively connected to the firstauxiliary lighting device in order to activate and deactivate it andwherein the electronic control unit is such to activate the firstauxiliary lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is equal tozero and/or the traction engine changes from an on state to an off stateand/or when the driver getting off from the motorcycle is detected. 6.The motorcycle according to claim 5, further including a twilight sensoroperatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein theelectronic control unit is programmed to keep the first auxiliarylighting device off when detecting a certain degree of ambient lighting.7. The motorcycle according to claim 5, further including a radiointerface operatively connected to the electronic control unit andwherein the electronic control unit is programmed to activate the secondauxiliary lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is equal tozero and when receiving a radio control signal from said radiointerface.
 8. The motorcycle according to claim 5, further including adetecting device adapted to provide an electrical signal carrying aninformation related to the presence and/or absence of the driver on themotorcycle, being operatively connected to the electronic control unitand wherein, based on the electrical signal provided by the detectingdevice, the electronic control unit is configured and programmed toactivate the first auxiliary lighting device when the electronic controlunit detects that the driver got off the motorcycle.
 9. The motorcycleaccording to claim 5, further comprising a second auxiliary lightingdevice fixed to the motorcycle body and operatively connected to theelectronic control unit in order to be thereby activated anddeactivated, wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is arrangedand oriented so that, when activated, it lights a ground portion beingon the side and/or under the central part of the motorcycle body. 10.The motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein the electronic control unitis such to automatically activate the second lighting device when thespeed of the motorcycle is lower than a threshold speed.
 11. Themotorcycle according to claim 10, wherein the absolute value of thethreshold speed is greater than zero.
 12. The motorcycle according toclaim 11, wherein said threshold speed is greater than or equal to 5km/h.
 13. The motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein the secondauxiliary lighting device is arranged in the central part and it isoriented towards the ground.
 14. The motorcycle according to claim 9,wherein the second auxiliary lighting device has a main emission opticalaxis being oriented in a direction transversal to the longitudinal axisand facing the ground.
 15. The motorcycle according to claim 9, whereinthe motorcycle wherein said central part includes a platform and whereinthe second auxiliary lighting device is placed under the platform.